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#21
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Christmas houses?
"Bill DeWitt" wrote in message ... "Bubbles" wrote : Oh my goodness! TALK about fiddly! I enjoy making small carvings. Not enough to make similar ones over and over again 8-) hence the desire for a process, but in general I find it relaxing. I have decided to press them into flat plaster molds like some people do decorative tiles. I want to test to see if I can accurately miter the edges (perhaps with a sponge) or if I will have to make end cap looking things. I see your point about relaxing, but repetitive not being relaxing. I think your idea of press-moulding would work quite well - and you might make the mold without certain details, so that you can individualized the facades when the pieces are leather hard. You might want to take a look at Steve Mills' post today, and see if you "get" that tool better than I do. Maybe it would work for you? Also, you could use very soft clay to put the pieces together, so that the angles don't have to be perfect, as the clay would compensate as you squared the edges and squished them together? You might want to ask the others on the group about this, but it would be something I might try out - especially on such small work as this. I don't want wood or plastic because I want them to be very nice. I get plastic or metal, but thin bamboo or balsa and then painted? I think that would look nice! "fellow Norwegian"? Although my surname is Dutch and my home is the US, my genetics and culture are largely Norse. I'm a little consious of it these days because I'm trying to recreate some of that heritage for my family. I apologize for mentioning it. Goodness me! I am in no way insulted! Just curious, as I was not aware of your Norse roots. If you are curious about Advent and Christmas, you can take a look at this person's page that has a description of her experiences as a Norwegian: www.geocities.com/nortank I am, in fact, only too happy to give information about Norwegian customs (the ones I know) and such things, so you are most welcome to send me a mail if you have any questions :-) Marianne - fellow norskie |
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#22
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Christmas houses?
"Steve Mills" wrote in message ... If you turn it upside down with the horizontal leg uppermost, you have a piece of wire at a 45 degree, with the wire attached approximately in the middle of the end of each leg. You should have a 1 inch piece of wood, which with care will run along the edge of the cut slab, cutting the chamfer as it moves. You take the tool to the clay not visi-versa. Short of a drawing (which this NG doesn't allow) that's the best I can describe it. Ahhhh! You use the thick end of the L to stabilize it against the table! Now I get it! Thanks Steve - you are a peach! (or a cherry, if you don't like peaches ;-) Marianne |
#23
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Christmas houses?
Speaking of binaries... If anyone does want to show a picture it can be
posted at alt.binaries.crafts or alt.binaries.crafts.pictures ... Nice idea by the by. "Steve Mills" wrote in message ... If you turn it upside down with the horizontal leg uppermost, you have a piece of wire at a 45 degree, with the wire attached approximately in the middle of the end of each leg. You should have a 1 inch piece of wood, which with care will run along the edge of the cut slab, cutting the chamfer as it moves. You take the tool to the clay not visi-versa. Short of a drawing (which this NG doesn't allow) that's the best I can describe it. Steve In article , Bubbles writes Hehe! TADA! Except that I can't quite imagine how I would use it to cut, as you say it has to be thick. If I could make the L out of thin, but stiff metal, I can see how I could lay the horizontal of the L on the table and run the tool along the edge of the piece, but how would I do it with a thick piece of wood? Thanks, though! Have printed your instructions and will hand them to hubby to ponder - the perks of being married to an engineer :-) Marianne -- Steve Mills Bath UK |
#25
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Christmas houses?
Nice picture! Glad you posted it because I was making things harder than
they had to be. Thanks, Donna "Steve Mills" wrote in message ... Thanks to DKat. I've just posted a JPEG. of the cutter on alt.binaries.crafts.pictures Steve In article , Bubbles writes "Steve Mills" wrote in message .. . If you turn it upside down with the horizontal leg uppermost, you have a piece of wire at a 45 degree, with the wire attached approximately in the middle of the end of each leg. You should have a 1 inch piece of wood, which with care will run along the edge of the cut slab, cutting the chamfer as it moves. You take the tool to the clay not visi-versa. Short of a drawing (which this NG doesn't allow) that's the best I can describe it. Ahhhh! You use the thick end of the L to stabilize it against the table! Now I get it! Thanks Steve - you are a peach! (or a cherry, if you don't like peaches ;-) Marianne -- Steve Mills Bath UK |
#26
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Christmas houses?
yes good idea, I thought that I should have said that when I woke in the
middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep, ya know how your mind ticks away ) "Stephanie Coleman" wrote in message ... And when you join the walls with slip, I would also press thin coils into each corner to improve the strength to the connection. -- Stephanie Coleman University of Phoenix Online alt email: 706.467.9579 "Bubbles" wrote in message ... "Steve Mills" wrote in message ... Make them out of clay slabs cut from a pre-rolled sheet, using cardboard templates. Steve Yup. Slab-building. Try to roll the slabs in 2 or 3 motions in varying directions, to avoid "memory" in the clay. A good "trick" at the joins is to use something slightly harder than a toothbrush (I use a bunch of steel strands from a steel brush, which I have glued into a dowel - but strands cut from a stiff broom can also work) - dip that in water and brush both join sites - makes slip at the same time as you roughen up the edges for a better join. Also - consider wrapping the houses in plastic for a few days, giving them a _very_ slow dry - possibly helping to avoid unevenesses that result in cracks when firing. Marianne |
#27
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Christmas houses?
Seems my server doesn't support binaries groups. Can you mail the pic to me?
Marianne |
#28
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Christmas houses?
I just read the whole string and its most interesting. I don't fully
understand why you'd use mitred corners instead of butt joints. In wood assembly I use a mitred corner because it gives you a greater surface for glue, but in clay, I would think that wouldn't make so much of a difference. Also in clay, doesn't that make the outer edge more fragile? Especially after you wet it with slip? With a mitred corner you work the outer corner which I was under the impression you want to keep crisp, where a butt joint doesn't touch the outer corner, leaving it crisp. Also, on a mitred corner, if you don't have it exact and perfect and I mean exact, you'll have gaps to fill. I'm no expert but from what I gather from what I just read, you're no expert either and for you, the simplest approach might make more sense. N scale is a very small scale, you're making tiny houses, wouldn't using templates go faster and be more practical than making molds? ~Kroozr |
#29
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Christmas houses?
"the ''Kroozr''" wrote in message ... I just read the whole string and its most interesting. I don't fully understand why you'd use mitred corners instead of butt joints. In wood assembly I use a mitred corner because it gives you a greater surface for glue, but in clay, I would think that wouldn't make so much of a difference. Also in clay, doesn't that make the outer edge more fragile? Especially after you wet it with slip? With a mitred corner you work the outer corner which I was under the impression you want to keep crisp, where a butt joint doesn't touch the outer corner, leaving it crisp. Also, on a mitred corner, if you don't have it exact and perfect and I mean exact, you'll have gaps to fill. I'm no expert but from what I gather from what I just read, you're no expert either and for you, the simplest approach might make more sense. N scale is a very small scale, you're making tiny houses, wouldn't using templates go faster and be more practical than making molds? ~Kroozr You get a neater finish if you use mitred corners. It is more difficult to keep the joins not showing if do it any other way. |
#30
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Christmas houses?
Steve Mills mentioned in passing :
Ah, now I see where you are coming from. If you make a set of basic House Fronts moulds, that gets a lot of the fiddley work done pre-assembly, as customizing each one will take relatively little time. Backs and sides can be plain or likewise moulded. I think that's what I will end up going with, but this next part made me think about a multipart mold again. The other thought was provided by Andy (2 part slip mould) which for N gauge additions would probably be the best option. Again the cast piece can be embellished or not as required. Some how I missed Andy's post. I don't see an Andy in this thread at all. Maybe I can make one or two, single part roof and sides mold, which would match with my specially carved fronts and backs. End up with a three part mold that I could pour. Hmmm... I might actually start this project by next Christmas. |
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